My Side of the River: A Memoir

by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

Overview

A New York Times Editor's Pick
A People Magazine Best Book to Read in February
A Goodreads Most Anticipated Book of 2024

“My Side of the River is both fierce and poetic. It brilliantly reframes border writing while embracing nature and familial history. There are moments one sees greatness appear. This is one of those moments.” —Luis Alberto Urrea, New York Times bestselling author of Good Night, Irene

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez reveals her experience as the U.S. born daughter of immigrants and what happened when, at fifteen, her parents were forced back to Mexico in this captivating and tender memoir.

Born to Mexican immigrants south of the Rillito River in Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth had the world at her fingertips. She was preparing to enter her freshman year of high school as the number one student when suddenly, her own country took away the most important right a child has: the right to have a family.

When her parents’ visas expired and they were forced to return to Mexico, Elizabeth was left responsible for her younger brother, as well as her education. Determined to break the cycle of being a “statistic,” she knew that even though her parents couldn’t stay, there was no way she could let go of the opportunities the U.S. could provide. Armed with only her passport and sheer teenage determination, Elizabeth became what her school would eventually describe as an unaccompanied homeless youth, one of thousands of underage victims affected by family separation due to broken immigration laws.

For fans of Educated by Tara Westover and The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande, My Side of the River explores separation, generational trauma, and the toll of the American dream. It’s also, at its core, a love story between a brother and a sister who, no matter the cost, is determined to make the pursuit of her brother’s dreams easier than it was for her.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250277954
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/13/2024
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	54,096
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, as a second-generation immigrant. She graduated from high school at the top of her class and, in 2018, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. She worked as a banking analyst at Wells Fargo and is now a product manager at a big tech company, where she uses her background and knowledge to empower communities. She has been featured on NPR’s Latino USA and delivered a viral TED Talk on finding opportunity and stability in the United States while examining flaws in narratives that simplify and idealize the immigrant experience. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Editorial Reviews

My Side of the River is both fierce and poetic. It brilliantly reframes border writing while embracing nature and familial history. There are moments one sees greatness appear. This is one of those moments.” —Luis Alberto Urrea, New York Times bestselling author of Good Night, Irene

“[A] testament to the abiding allure—and often daunting reality—of the American dream.”
—New York Times Book Review

“[A] moving, timely memoir.”
—New York Times Book Review, Editor’s Choice

"Affecting." —People Magazine

"Elizabeth Camarillo’s My Side of the River is the book that everyone should read to understand the depth of the strength and achievements of Latinos in the United States. Poignant and tender, hers is an inspiring journey that will most certainly illuminate the path for many others." —Rafael Agustin, author of Illegally Yours

“Captivating . . . . This is an inspirational example of dedication, devotion, and triumph over multiple oppressive juggernauts.” —Booklist

"A brave, honest, heartbreaking, and educational memoir. Elizabeth Gutierrez Camarillo unveils the many realities of being a first generation American whose family continually crosses, and is separated by, borders. My Side of the River is a timely book that uses the power of personal story to invoke societal change. I know many young people and families will find themselves in Elizabeth’s story, and many others will be inspired to action." —Justin Baldoni, star of Jane the Virgin and author of Man Enough

“Open and candid . . . A moving story of the humanity at the center of the often-breathless and uninformed immigration debate." —Kirkus Reviews

“[A] powerful, often heartbreaking story . . . . Sharp, incisive, and often wryly funny, Gutierrez's memoir is a necessary addition to the complex conversation around immigration in the U.S.” —Shelf Awareness

“Written in an immersive and easy-to-read style, [My Side of the River] shows readers what it was like for Camarillo Gutierrez throughout those difficult times before she achieved an impressive level of success.” —Library Journal

“Camarillo Gutierrez sustains a sense of urgency to her writing . . . and creates an involving, inspirational portrait of personal resilience and firm family bonds. It’s galvanizing stuff.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

01/01/2024

Gutierrez's memoir poignantly conveys her story of being born and raised in Tucson, AZ, by Mexican immigrants. Her parents wanted her to get the best education she could in the U.S., and she excelled academically. Her parents' visas expired when she was 15, which forced them to return to Mexico while Gutierrez stayed behind in the U.S. to continue her education. She moved several times, staying with neighbors, school administrators, and even strangers who took her in. Through sheer determination, she fought back against the oppression, trauma, and racism that worked against her, to create the life her parents dreamed of for their children. Written in an immersive and easy-to-read style, the book shows readers what it was like for Gutierrez throughout those difficult times before she achieved an impressive level of success. VERDICT Perfect for readers who want to learn more about how the U.S immigration system affects the families its laws separate. Also a great pick for fans of memoirs about people who overcome the odds against them.—Leah Fitzgerald

Library Journal

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez powerfully narrates her memoir of her experiences in the broken immigration system of the United States and her fight for a better future. Gutierrez's family was split up when her parents' visas expired and they were sent back to Mexico. A high school freshman, she was left alone to raise herself and her younger brother in Arizona. Gutierrez's narration is both lyrical and unapologetically real. Her story touches on the complex emotions of her experiences, and she never shies away from Spanish phrases or the occasional swear word. The result is an intelligent, powerful performance that leaves the listener feeling sympathetic and hopeful for Gutierrez's success. V.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2024 - AudioFile

2023-11-11
A second-generation immigrant’s story of holding her dreams, her parents’ expectations, and America’s demands in balance.

Born in Arizona to Mexican parents on tourist visas, Camarillo Gutierrez was told from an early age that she would need “to be the best.” This directive became her mantra as she moved through her childhood in Tucson, and both volatility and education were driving forces. In this debut memoir, the author, a product manager at a big tech company, leaves almost no facet of the immigrant experience unexplored: dire economic circumstances, arbitrary and opaque visa policies, the premium placed on achievement, organizing in the face of rising anti-immigrant sentiment. Camarillo Gutierrez’s life and interests have breathtaking scope. We follow her from scenes set at the gate between Mexico and the U.S. to the halls of the Ivy League and positions in finance and technology, and the author offers memorable thoughts about religion, the environment, and mental health. She displays the voice, insight, and personal connection to turn any one of these topics into its own volume. At a few points in the narrative, however, the scope is unmatched by the depth, leaving some threads without continuity, others without closure, and many with surface-level analysis. If this trait sometimes leaves readers unsure where to focus, it also reveals the enormity of the pressure immigrants in America, especially immigrant youth, must withstand—the compromises and sacrifices that must be made, the contradictions that elude reconciliation. Camarillo Gutierrez’s open and candid personal exposition hints not only at the tensions inherent in her own life, but also at those in American culture and policy. By bringing readers into the precarious and emotional positions that these tensions force individuals and families to endure, she invites deeper, more compassionate analysis and conversation.

A moving story of the humanity at the center of the often-breathless and uninformed immigration debate.

Kirkus Reviews